Stones Throw CSA’s Weblog

We are sorry to report that we have decided to take a year off, and there will be no program for the summer of 2011.  The Steering Committee is taking advantage of  this opportunity to look at our program and see what can be done to continue to improve it. We have every intention of coming back in the summer of 2012 with a group of committed growers and members to continue Stone’s Throw CSA.

To meet your family produce needs this summer you can find a listing of farmers markets at www.massfarmersmarkets.org and a listing of CSA’s at www.nofamass.org (make sure to look for the “updated for 2011″ in red to confirm the information) or the Mass Dept of Ag Resources Listing at http://massnrc.org/farmlocator/map.aspx?Type=CSA. (NOTE: Both websites still list Stone’s Throw CSA because they re-posted last year’s information).

Many thanks to all of our shareholders for their support for not only our farms, but your commitment to supporting local agriculture.

All members are invited to join the Steering Committee and the growers at our 2010 Annual Meeting. This is your chance to find out more about Stones Throw CSA and help determine next year’s program. Fill out a survey that night and be entered in a drawing for a door prize!

Members, check your email for details. If you can’t make the meeting, watch your email for a link to an online version of the survey. We appreciate your feedback!

Come and join in the fun of our first annual Stone’s Throw CSA Farm Fall Day this Saturday, September 25th from 3 to 5 PM at Silvermine Farm. The kids will have a chance to play some games and help press fresh apple cider. Each family that would like to press should bring a 3 lb bag of local apples. There will be a recipe swap table where you’ll have a chance to drop off your recipes for our Stone’s Throw CSA cookbook as well a copy down someone else’s favorite recipe. Bring a recipe with its source or inspiration, we’ll have index cards for you to copy down the ones you’re going to take home. Come and find out where our shareholders come from to get a sense of how far we spread. Everyone is encouraged to take a moment to stop and post a note advertising a talent or skill or business they possess on the Shareholders’ Skills board, and to take note of those offered by other shareholders. There will even be a take it or leave it book table for you to bring books you have enjoyed and pick up a book someone else enjoyed. We hope to see you on Saturday.

Since the cucumber population bomb is statewide and shows no signs of abating, here’s a link to some more ideas. It appeared in the August 13 New York Times. Be sure to browse the reader comments at the end of the article for even more ideas!

To continue the celebration of cucumbers, here is a cold soup recipe found by our Recipe Editor, Marla.

from: blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites
The herbs in here are up to you. I think dill goes exceptionally well with cucumber, but basil, mint, or cilantro would all work very nicely, too.

 Ingredients:
3 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup thick, drained yogurt, Greek style yogurt, or sour cream
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped chives or scallions
3 large cucumbers, peeled in alternating strips, halved, seeds scooped out
a generous handful of fresh dill, basil, cilantro or mint
a few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, optional
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Combine yogurt, garlic, 2 cucumbers, and herbs in a blender. Puree until fairly smooth. You may have to do this in batches to avoid overloading your blender.

2. Pour soup mixture into a large pitcher and set aside. Grate or finely dice remaining cucumber and stir in for texture. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

3. Chill well. Serve very cold, topped with a little extra herbs and chives.

I don’t know about everyone else, but I was clueless when I read Martha’s sign last week over the cukes: Think Cucumber Soup!

About two days later my brain kicked into gear and I remembered two soups I made while I was a partial shareholder in Many Hands CSA out of Barre.  Borscht is a cucumber and beet soup that is delicious.  There are many recipes available for it and each one has its own twist on the classic Russian cold soup.

The other is one a friend of mine made up and you will be delighted with the simplicity and taste.

One large 32 oz tub plain yogurt

1 12oz can of tomato juice (or V8)

1 cucumber, peeled and diced or shredded

dill and salt/pepper to taste

Mix everything together and that is it.  You can add shrimp if you like or a few dashes of hot sauce.

What are your favorite cucumber soup recipes? 

~Michele Decoteau

Share Editor and CSA Member

Stone’s Throw CSA is happy to announce we are offering some great workshops this year! These are led by CSA members, growers or steering committee members and are open to all CSA members as well as to the general public. Proceeds from the workshops (minus any needed materials costs) will go to the Stone Soup Fund which helps subsizide families who need some financial assistance to buy a share.

See the schedule on our Workshops page, and check back often, as new workshops will be added throughout the season. If you are interested in a workshop, please register as soon as possible to ensure that the workshop will have enough participants to run. For more information or to register email info@stonesthrowcsa.org. If you have a great idea for running a workshop of your own, please email us, as well.

Volunteers needed to start pickup site at Silvermine Farm!

Mass Local Food Coop is a volunteer-run online farmers market with a monthly distribution of Massachusetts produced meats, baked goods, produce, plants, herbal products and more. There is a monthly ordering cycle and volunteers deliver to several locations in central Mass. Martha Cole is a producer for Mass Local Food, and has offered the barn at Silvermine as a possible distribution site. We are looking for volunteers to help organize and run this pickup. Check them out at www.massfoodcoop.org, and if you are interested in making this happen, email info@stonesthrowcsa.org.

Stone’s Throw CSA member, Tony Izzo, has a food related blog where he’s been exploring the joys of rhubarb.  Check out how he uses the rhubarb syrup featured in this week’s Share…

Check out this site for a great sounding recipe for the turnips in your share this week. Also, one for a nice salad with peas and radishes. Lots of resources there, too, for other Massachusetts grown foods.